Overshoe and method of making the same



Sept. 29, 1931. L. H. LHOLIJER 1,825,276

OVERSHOE AND METHOD OF KING THE SAME Filed May 14. 1929 III/l fy g s.

for example, as the so-called foot-hold 'Patentcd Sept. 29, 1931 UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE LESLIE H. L HOLLIER, OI AKRON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T THE B. F. GOODBICH COMFANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK OVERSHOE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Application filed m 14, 1929. Serial No. 362,956.

This invention relates to overshoes and to methods of making the same, and more especially it relates to procedure for the manufacture of light-weight overshoes, such,

overshoe, and to improved construction of the latter.

Overshoes of the foot-hold type for womens wear are light in weight and heelless, and further to reduce their weight it has recently been proposed to dispense wlth the insole and filler sole of the shoe and to make the outsole thereof substantially the same weight as the vamp, both comprising relatively thin sheets of rubber having light-weight fabric backing, The omission of the filler sole heretofore has resulted in a somewhat unsightly article due to the margin of the vamp appearing through the thin shoe sole in the form of a ridge, and the absence of an insole has increased the difliculty of building the shoe since there is nothing to which the marginal portion of the vamp may be adhesively attached while the outsole is being applied.

The chief objects of the invention are to improve the appearance of overshoes of the foot-hold type; to obviate the use of a filler between the margins of the vamp as a means for effecting a smooth sole in the finished shoe; to increase each operators production of the shoes; and to provide improved procedure for accomplishing the foregoing objects.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a foot-hold overshoe embodying and made by the use of my invention in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation-of apparatus em bodying and adapted to carry out my invention in its preferred form, and the work thereon, a portion of the latter being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section through my improved shoe-building last, and a partly built shoe thereon.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 2 showing the shoe parts in their assembled relation. e

Referring to the drawings, 10 is a foothold overshoe comprising a vamp 11 of relatively thin rubber and an outsole 12 of the same or similar material, said vamp and outsole being provided respectively with lightweight fabric lining or backing material 11", 12. As is most clearly shown in Fig. 3, the

linings 11, 12 do not extend to the solemargins of the vamp and outsole, but are spaced a short distance from said margins so that the marginal portions of the vamp and outsole comprise only rubber. The heelstrap portions of the vamp also are not provided with liningmaterlal.

The arrangement produces a stepped ef feet at the sole margins of the vamp and outsole with the result that when the outsole is overlain upon the marginal portion of the vamp and pressed thereagainst in the manufacture of the shoe, the plastic nature of the unvulcanized rubber at the margin of the vamp permits it to flow and so displace itself that there is no unsightly ridge raised on the outer face of the outsole, over the margins of the upper 11 and its lining 11?. By stepping the margin of the lining 12 back from the margin of the outsole 12, the latter is caused to lie smoothly upon the surface of the vamp 11, as is shown in Fig, 4, and strongly to adhere to'said vamp.

Apparatus for the manufacture of my improved overshoe comprises a hollow last 13 upon which the overshoe is built, and a female coupling member "or socket 14.- is threaded into the head of the last and conically formed internally to fit a tapered metal plug or male coupling member 15. The latter is mounted upon the upper end of a vertically disposed pipe 16, and is formed with a duct or bore (not shown) communicating with a chamber 17 within the last. The pipe 16 is connected with the suction port of an ejector 18, and 19 is a ressure inlet pipe and 20 an outlet pipe or said ejector; The chamber 17 communicates with the exterior of the last throu h a multiplicity of small apertures 21, 21 ormed in the wall of the last in that region of the latter overlain by the vamp 11, exclusive of the heel-straps thereof, when the vamp is appliedto the last. The series of apertures 21 adjacent the sole portion of the last are so positioned as to be overlain by the marginal portion of the vamp which extends beyond the lining 11 of the vamp.

In the operation of the apparatus, pressure fluid from the pipe 19 is passed through the ejector 18 to evacuate the chamber 17 of the last and create suction through the apertures 21 therein. The vamp 11 is then applied to the last so as to overlie the apertures therein, its marginal portions being folded around the sole-edge of the last so that the unlined portion thereof overlies the marginal row of apertures. The suction through the apertures 21 creates differential pressures on opposite sides of the vamp sufiicient to hold the latter to the last and thus free the operator to perform the subsequent shoe-building operations. The sole-margin of the vamp is drawn together and overlapped upon the sole of the last at the shank thereof, and the heel-straps joined together at theback of the last, after which the sole 12 is mounted upon the last and pressed onto the marginal portion of the vamp thereon, and its own marginal portions folded over the edge of the last and adhered to the vamp, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The suction to the interior of the last is then discontinued, and the last with the overshoe thereon is removed from the coupling member 15 after which the overshoe is vulcanized, on the last, with heat and pressure in the usual manner.

The softening of the rubber during vulcanization, and the pressure of the Vulcanizing medium on the shoe, causes such displacement and flow of the unlined marginal portion of the vamp that no evidence of the latter or the margin of the vamp lining is visible on the sole of the finished overshoe, and a neat and attractive article is produced.

The invention is susceptible of modification within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An overshoe comprising a rubber vamp, a lining therefor of such slze that its edge is spaced from the sole edge of the vamp, and an outsole adhered solely to said vamp.

2. An overshoe comprising a rubber vamp, an outsole and a lining for said outsole terminating short of the margin thereof, said outsole and its lining being adhered solely to the vamp.

3. An overshoe comprising a rubber vamp, a lining therefor extending somewhat short of the sole-margin of said vamp, an outsole, and a lining for said outsole spaced from the margin thereof, said outsole and its lining being adhered solely to the vamp.

4. The method of making overshoes which comprises assembling a rubber vamp and a lining therefor in such a manner that the margin of the latter is stepped back from the margin of the vamp, assembling an outsole and a lining therefor in a manner such that the lining is stepped back from the margin of the outsole, mounting the vamp upon a support, and then adhering the outsole and its lining solely to the marginal portion of the vamp.

7. A method as defined in claim 6 in which the sole margin of the vamp is retained in position upon the support by suct1on. Y

8. The method of making overshoes which comprises shaping a rubber vamp upon a support, retaining its sole margin thereon by suction, mounting an outsole and lining therefor upon the support and adhering them solely to the marginal portions of the vamp by pressing them thereupon, and vuleanizing the assembled structure, on the support, by heat and pressure.

9. A method as defined in claim 8 including the initial step of mounting a lining on the vamp in such a manner that the margin of the lining is stepped back from the margin of the vamp.

10. The method of making an overshoe which comprises mounting upon a support a rubber vamp and an outsole with a lining for at least one of said parts disposed with the margin of the lining terminating short of the margin of the part, and adhering the outsole solely to the margin of the vamp.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 3rd day of May, 1929.

LESLIE H. LHOLLIER. 

